Saturday, April 7, 2012

What does it mean to spend time with someone? Is it enough to just be there?

Not for me, it isn't.

This seems to be something that separates people. Maybe it has to do with my job, or maybe I was attracted to my job because I already had this belief. I need to accomplish things, not just sit there and punch a time clock. But some people think that just "being there" is enough. I disagree.

I need to DO things. Not just BE somewhere.

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.

P.S. I see this at work all the time (more in past jobs, but also in my present job). People, working on an hourly basis, just killing time. Taking a ton of time in the buffet line, examining every little thing rather than taking their food and moving on. Watching the clock, as opposed to working from a task list and accomplishing things. Going through life in slow motion, as opposed to grabbing your food and getting out of people's way, and getting on with your day.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

This article expresses something that I have long known to be true. Funny how people think that we need government intervention in the health care market because the free market has failed. Really? No, we haven't even tried the free market!

The article essentially points out that conservatives have been painted into the corner of defending the status quo. This is a strategic error. The correct play is to point out that we have suffered through government intervention for many years, and that is why costs keep rising! After all, in true free markets (think Lasik eye surgery) costs keep falling.

The article discusses Switzerland. If government is to be involved, better to give people subsidies (scaled by income) and let them make their decisions independently. Government support but free market incentives.

Singapore, too, has a good healthcare system. Singapore forces its citizens to have health saving accounts. I don't like that they are forced to have them, but I do think that health savings accounts are a very good idea (I have one).

From the article:
"Why does this system work so well? Because it incorporates the central idea behind free-market health care: that health-care spending is most efficient when that spending is executed by individual patients, rather than third parties. It's easy to waste other people's money. But if that money is your own, you are going to try your best to spend it wisely."

I think this one is my second favorite. You can watch YouTube without an Internet connection!
"The YouTube Collection"http://www.youtube.com/TheYouTubeCollection
Watch the infomercial. Click through and order your collection! Seriously, click through, it's funny!